


Truth and Betrayal

by Miss_Stardust



Series: Vérité [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alya is not having a fun time, Chloé gets a redemption arc, Lila will get rekt, Lowkey aka highkey dedicated to the felinette server, Multi, Neither is Adrien, Other, PV BOIS, People will get miraculouses!, Some miraculouses will have different powers to what the show gives, Wouldn't be writing this without them, Yes i did make Alix have another brother, bless them, ml salt, more relationships later, no love square, you can't stop me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2020-04-07 15:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19088131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Stardust/pseuds/Miss_Stardust
Summary: The day after she gets akumatized, Marinette finds that she loses friends, but gains unlikely allies.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to [@Nottesilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottesilhouette) for her help with beta-reading the fanfic! Her and [@Newdog14](https://archiveofourown.org/users/newdog14) have been angels, helping me out!

_In. Out. In. Out._

She’d been standing by the door for five minutes now, trying to find the courage to open it and walk in. She didn’t want to know how things would pan out when she entered the room, but she wasn’t looking forward to it.

Squaring her shoulders and steeling herself, she pushed the door open. All talk ceased, and she felt everyone’s stares fall upon her, but she only smiled.

“Good morning, everyone,” She greeted them, her tone clear and calm despite her inner turmoil. She was met with silence for just a few moments before the class exploded into noise, with some people apologizing and others simply greeting her. She expected a glare from Lila, but when she saw Alya frown in her direction, her heart sank.

Did Alya really not believe her?

She let out a soft sigh and shook her head. She had honestly hoped for better from the reporter, but she shouldn’t have been surprised. With another sigh, she started walking up to her seat beside Félix, only pausing when she heard a hissed, “Well?”

Marinette glanced over to the person who had hissed towards her, blinking as she saw it was Lila. “Well what?” she asked the brunette.

“Are you going to apologize?” Hold on, _what?_ When Marinette gave her a blank stare, Lila's own stare darkened. "You owe me an apology, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You _lied_ about me and embarrassed me in front of everyone. I want an apology."

" _No._ " Everyone stared at her, some in shock, some in awe. The ravenette was annoyed when she noticed Adrien looking disappointed in her. _He had no right._

"Excuse me?" Lila asked, her tone sickly sweet, yet bordering on dangerous. How _dare_ she?

"I said no. I'm not apologizing to you. Not now, not ever. You're the one in the wrong, Lila. You _threatened_ me, lied about me, tried to take my friends away from me. I saw the footage of my akuma. Everything I said was the truth. If _anyone_ did their research, they'd know that you've been lying since day one!" It was petty of her to have jabbed at Alya like that, but she was still upset with the self-proclaimed reporter.

"Hey! You're in the wrong here, Marinette, why won't you just admit that? Lila was telling the truth and you know it. You're just jealous she likes Adrien too," Alya snapped out, and Marinette's eyes narrowed at her, angry she had revealed such a thing in front of the entire classroom. 

"This was _never_ about Adrien, Alya. I used to like him, yes, but this was never about him.” A gasp from Adrien was heard, but she ignored him. “Lila has serious plot-holes in her stories, all of them easily debunked if you fact-check. But you didn’t, you believed someone you’ve known for a month over your best friend who you’ve known for a year.” Marinette turned away from Alya, heading for her seat.

“I thought you were better than this, Marinette.” Adrien’s disappointed voice rung out, and Marinette paused again, turning back to him.

“ _Excuse me?_ You have no right to be disappointed in me when you knew Lila was lying to everyone. You said her lies weren’t hurting anyone. Her lies would have eventually hurt someone if they kept going on, but you protected her at the cost of everyone else. People get akumatized over _everything_. You were more worried about the liar than the person who you said you’d stand by.” Adrien felt eyes turn on him, and he was saddened to see Nino’s eyes filled with hurt as they stared at him.

“Dude, is this true? You _knew_ she was lying?" Nino whispered, and Adrien felt the hurt that was radiating from his friend. The model reached for the DJ who visibly recoiled from him, and Adrien couldn't help the hurt feelings he felt.

"Nino, I…" Adrien tried to formulate words, but he couldn't. How could he when his friend looked so upset, and at him? 

Nino looked away, disappointed in the model. His response, or lack of it, was enough. 

"Hold on. Adrikins, you mean to tell me you _knew?_ And you said _nothing?_ " Chloé asked coldly, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowing at her oldest friend. The heiress knew Lila had been lying. Anyone with a brain would know that. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Chloé would admit begrudgingly, wasn’t a bad person, well, she couldn’t be, considering she was _Ladybug_ of all people.

Oh yeah, Chloé knew. She’d known for a while that the girl was Ladybug after she got Pollen. The little 'doll' she was going to give Prince Ali that looked similar to Pollen, Marinette's disappearances, hell, she'd even heard Marinette talking to 'Tikki' in the bathrooms (after Lila had threatened the ravenette, no less), so she definitely knew. Still, she didn't say anything; it wasn't her secret to give out. 

Instead she did what she could to help her. Chloé would do this for the girl who saved her multiple times, even if her hero did hate her. 

Chloé didn't blame her.

"The fact you all think Dupain-Cheng is a liar is ridiculous, _utterly_ ridiculous! Everyone with even half of a brain would know she's not. And everyone _should_ know Lila's lying. Like, come on, Jagged Stone could easily disprove her claims. Rose could disprove her claims, too, since she still talks to Prince Ali," Everyone looked to the girl in question, who sheepishly smiled.

"He never said anything about Lila, I just thought he knew her," Rose told her classmates. 

"Ask him right now if he knows 'Lila Rossi', then. Disprove her claims. And in fact, Dupain-Cheng, you know Jagged Stone personally. You could call him and ask him, couldn't you?" Chloé turned her gaze back to the baker's daughter who looked so baffled that Chloé of all people was on her side. Marinette was about to reply when Lila scoffed.

"She could just be lying about that. After all, she lied about me." This time when Chloé scoffed, Lila's lips curled up in a predatory fashion. "Besides, why should you care about her? Your dislike for Marinette is well-known but now you're on her side? Pretty suspect if you ask me." 

"The only thing _suspect_ is your stupidity, Rossi." 

Everyone looked to the corner of the room where Félix sat, finally looking up from his book. 

“You claim you know all these people, but you never once provided evidence to back it up, yet we can easily provide evidence you _haven’t_. You claim to have been bullied by Marinette, but Alix and I, along with one other person, have been with Marinette at her own house when you claimed she bullied you. So your claims of her bullying you are easily disproved there.” Lila’s face went red with fury.

“That proves nothing! You were there when she bullied me!” the Italian girl snapped, and Chloé scoffed again.

“Please, I may have hated Dupain-Cheng for many things, but being a bully was never one of them. Because she wasn't a bully. She _isn't_. Try again _Lie_ -la." The heiress looked at Lila disapprovingly, emphasizing the first syllable of her name pointedly.

"Enough! Marinette, just admit you're lying and _apologize!_ " Alya looked to the French-Chinese girl as if begging her to admit it. But Marinette held her ground.

"I said _no_. I refuse to apologize to someone who tried to hurt me and ruin my friendships, she _threatened_ me and lied to you all. I’m not going to apologize for feeling upset when you all ignored my feelings, and I’m not saying sorry to her because I know she would never apologize to me.” Marinette’s voice never wavered as she stared at Alya with disappointment and anger in her eyes. “I’m not apologizing to her when I’m not the one in the wrong.” 

With that, she moved to sit next to Félix, ignoring how the class exploded into sound.

“Are you alright?” Félix murmured to the girl as she sunk into her seat, worried she might get akumatized again. Marinette gave him a smile and nodded minutely.

“I should be. Thank you for sticking up for me,” She whispered, and the blonde smiled back at her gently. 

“Of course, Marinette,” He didn’t get to say anymore before Miss Bustier entered the room.

“Good morning class! I reviewed the seating arrangements and I have changed it around so the students who are struggling to see the board, or hear me are closer." A wave of groans went through the classroom, but a few were silent. Changed how? 

They found out five minutes later when everyone had been rearranged in the seating plan Miss Bustier had planned. It had Max, Nino, Adrien and Lila in the front row, then Sabrina, Chloé, Rose and Alya on the second. In the third row sat Alix, Marinette, Juleka and Mylène, and in the last row sat Félix, Nathaniel, Ivan and Kim. 

Marinette found herself relieved to be sitting next to someone she could trust, shooting Alix a small smile which was returned by the pinkette. She was lucky that she had her friends nearby.

The only downside was Chloé and Sabrina being in front of them… but Marinette had been surprised by her. The heiress had been less hostile and more… helpful to her? Which was odd. Not that she was complaining. She couldn’t complain when Chloé was being helpful. But it was suspicious. Why did she help her?

Shaking her head, she glanced over to where Alya sat, saddened to see a gleam of disappointment in her eyes as if Marinette was in the wrong. The French-Chinese girl had tried to prove it to her, but Alya just didn’t want to listen to her. So with a sigh, she turned her attention back to the front of the class.

“So today’s topic is…”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of a hopeful friendship, and some new friends!

“Don’t forget to read chapters one to five and write a summary tonight, class!” Miss Bustier called out to the class as they began to pack up, making some of the students grumble. They knew it was simple, but _damn_ , they hated homework.

As Marinette packed up, she noticed almost everyone had left except for Félix, Alix and Chloé. She was surprised that the blonde had sent away her… friend, and she was also surprised to see Chloé looking up at her awkwardly. 

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," Chloé started off strong, "can we talk in private?"

 _Hold on a second, what?_

"If you have something you wanna say to Marinette, you can say it in front of us." Alix spoke up, eyeing Chloé warily. The blonde girl grimaced heavily, looking between the three of them. Marinette decided to give her a break.

"You two go ahead. I'll catch up." Marinette waved a hand with a smile. Both Alix and Félix looked to each other and back at Marinette before nodding. They trusted her to tell them if Chloé tried anything. 

After they left, Marinette looked back to Chloé, a blank look on her face that made the blonde uncomfortable. “What do you want to talk about, Chloé?” Marinette asked her calmly, watching very closely for any tricks the blonde may play.

“Well… uh…” Chloé fumbled for words, unsure what to say. She calmed her nerves by taking a deep breath, and let it all out, “I know you’re Ladybug. I've known for a little while. Since Lila threatened you, I mean." 

Marinette's heartbeat froze and her eyes widened at the heiress. Did she just...? "No, no, you have the wrong person! Me, Ladybug? Psssh!" She tried to laugh it off, but Chloé only shook her head.

"I heard you in the stall, Dupain-Cheng. I heard you talking to your kwami. It made a lot of sense that you'd be her, too." Marinette's face fell then, and Chloé added, "I won't tell anyone, it's not my secret to tell."

"Why are you being nice now? You've hated me for five years." Marinette spoke softly, and Chloé looked visibly uncomfortable.

"I did a lot of thinking about it, after I found out," the blonde admitted, "but I realized that despite me having bullied you over the years, you still saved me as Ladybug, still encouraged me to be better, even if, by rights, you should hate me. I was upset for a while, because the person I admired and looked up to was the same person whose life I made hell. I can only say I'm sorry that I treated you awfully, and I don't expect forgiveness. I don't deserve it."

Marinette listened intently as Chloé spoke, her eyes softening at her words. She could tell the heiress was genuine with her words, and while she knew she should still be upset over her past transgressions, Marinette also knew that she forgave her. After all, she'd been nicer to her than her supposed friends had been in the past month, and was clearly starting to learn from her mistakes and make an effort to grow.

So, with her mind made up, she held out a hand for the girl in front of her. When Chloé looked up at her in confusion, Marinette only smiled. "Let's try again. Hi, I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I like pink, fashion, and I’m Ladybug! Pleased to meet you.” 

Chloé looked at the hand for a few seconds, surprise clear on her face before she grasped the hand and shook lightly. “I’m Chloé Bourgeois. I like yellow, fashion and I’m a big fan of Ladybug. It’s nice to meet you too, Marinette.” The girls fell silent for a few moments before peals of giggles left the both of them.

“There. Now, do you and Sabrina want to have lunch with us? It may take the others some time to warm up to you, but I'm sure they will." The fact Marinette asked seemed to shock Chloé, as her eyes widened in surprise at the offer.

“You’re actually asking me to sit with you?” Chloé had to reaffirm what she had said, she couldn’t believe it. When Marinette simply smiled and nodded, Chloé's lips curled upwards in a genuine smile and nodded 

"I'd like that." 

\--------

Needless to say, Félix and Alix were surprised when Chloé and Marinette emerged from the classroom, laughing over silly little murmurs. When Marinette caught sight of her friends, she gave them a sheepish smile.

"We're going to make an effort to be friends. Do you mind if she and Sabrina sit with us?" She asked her friends, who looked to each other again before looking back to Chloé as if scrutinizing her. 

"Only if you're sure, Mars." Alix finally spoke up, turning her gaze back to Marinette. The nickname surprised the ravenette.

"Mars?" She asked the pinkette who merely grinned at her. "Well, okay." She shrugged, realizing that she actually liked that nickname.

"Yep. Oh, and Claude and his friends are joining us for lunch, by the way." Alix’s twin brother was in Ms. Mendeleiev’s class along with his two best friends Allan Durand and Allegra Leclair, who was coincidentally Claude’s girlfriend. 

Funnily enough, since Lila didn’t really interact with their other schoolmates, no one really had heard of her or her lies. If they did, they brushed it off as stupid or fake. But they all knew Marinette, and a lot of them knew she wasn’t a liar. So when Claude found out from Alix that a girl from her class was a blatant liar and had threatened Marinette, he wasn't impressed and told the others.

Which was a good thing, considering as the group (and Sabrina who joined them afterwards) walked to the courtyard to meet Claude, they spotted Lila speaking to him. The boy in question tried to appear annoyed by what she was saying, but Marinette could see a glint of amusement in his eyes.

As they neared the table, Marinette heard Claude, in a disappointed tone, say, "I'll talk to her, thank you." She'd seen a smug look flash upon Lila's face as the girl turned to face them to walk off, and Marinette could see it was aimed at Alix who merely raised an eyebrow back at her.

"Alix, I can't believe you would betray our oh-so-wise _Lie-la_." Claude put a hand over his chest as if offended for Lila, causing them all to snort. "Yeah, gross. So what happened, and since when have you been friends with Bourgeois?" He asked them, putting his hand down to eye Chloé curiously and cautiously.

Said girl bristled slightly and opened her mouth to say something when Alix spoke up, "Chloé's cool now. Mars and her had a talk, and she knows Lila is a liar and has apologized to Mars." Claude kept a glance on her for a few moments before humming.

"Okay, good enough for me. C'mon." He waved them over to their table.

Chloé stopped Alix before she could move, and asked softly, "Why'd you say that? You hate me." Alix looked over to Marinette then back to Chloé, letting out a sigh.

"I dislike you, yeah that's true. But Marinette trusts you for some reason, and I trust her judgement so I'll give you a chance too. You just gotta get everyone else's approval." Alix gave a lighthearted shrug and Chloé exhaled softly, nodding in acceptance and understanding. 

"I get it. Thank you Alix. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry breaking your stopwatch during your birthday race. I know it's fixed now, but…" Chloé exhaled again, "I'm sorry." She walked away to the rest of the group, leaving Alix to watch after her in thought.

Maybe Chloé was being sincere? She did stick up for Marinette during that fiasco in class… but she had been awful to her for ages, even if she's stopped in the last month. Alix couldn't be sure. 

\--------

"Guitar pick for your thoughts?" A soft, joking voice broke Alix out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Luka holding out a guitar pick with a cheeky smile on his lips. She stuck out her tongue at him and he laughed lightly, putting his pick away. "Seriously though, what's on your mind?" He asked her and she looked back to the group who were laughing at something, probably something Claude had said.

"I dunno, I just… Lila got outed in class and the class is split into sides. The person I thought would believe Marinette didn't believe her, and the people I thought would be against her believed her. Chloé believes Mars and is supporting her, but I can't help but feel… worried. Maybe I'm being stupid, but it's bugging me." Alix sighed softly.

Luka watched his friends laugh on before glancing back down at Alix. A soft snort left him and he ruffled her hair in amusement, eliciting a noise of disapproval from her. "You're allowed to be worried about it, Pinkie. It is seemingly sudden after all." He hummed in thought. "She does look like she's definitely trying to better though."

"You think so?" Alix spoke up, and Luka looked back down to her, finally remembering his hand was in her hair. He pulled it away and gave her a small smile.

"Yeah. She's trying. She just needs some guidance, someone to show her how to a decent person, but to also show her the errors of her ways when she does something mean. Don't hesitate to tell her off if need be." 

Alix listened intently to what the older boy had to say, humming lightly in thought. "That was pretty helpful actually. Thanks Luka, you're awesome." She grinned up at him and he couldn't help the smile that he returned.

"You too, Pinkie." He let out a laugh when she stuck out her tongue at him. 

"You joining us for lunch?" Alix inquired and he nodded, making Alix's grin return and they started heading over. "Sweet, we better head over now or they'll think something's up." 

"True. Also, don't hesitate to come to me if you ever wanna continue this talk." Luka told her as they made it.

"What talk, _lil Lixi? _" Claude grinned at his twin, eyeing the both of them. Alix's face turned red and she let out a huff in response and crossed her arms.__

“Nothing to worry your pretty little head about, _Deedee._ ” Alix told her brother with a glare that promised pain. She knew what her brother was like. He was plotting something. She just had to find out what. She only got a bigger grin as a response. She ignored it and tuned in on the words of her friends, but she couldn’t shake off the growing feeling of dread.

She couldn’t understand why.

“ _Akuma!_ ”

Oh, well, yeah that’d do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely [@Nottesilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottesilhouette) and @Fides Brunel(on discord) for checking over the fic!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new hero approaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A warm thank you to [@Nottesilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottesilhouette) for beta reading yet again and to the rest of the Felinette server for encouraging me to continue this fanfic!

Well, Marinette had been hoping there wouldn’t be an akuma today. She really had been hoping for it to not happen, since the fight the night before with Chat Noir. She didn’t want to see him as she was still a bit upset with him, but she knew she had a job to do. 

Her gaze flickered to the side where her friends were, helping others run away. She noticed Félix glancing over to her, nodding as he ushered their friends away. Good, she could sneak off and transform. She shot him a grateful smile and dashed off in the other direction.

Marinette ran into an empty classroom and closed the door, relieved that all the windows had their curtains shut and that no one had seen her. Opening her bag to let Tikki out, she shot the kwami a smile and said, “Tikki, Spots on!” With a bright pink flash, Ladybug stood where Marinette had been. Time to save the day.

\------

She rushed out of the classroom and into the courtyard to find her partner already fighting the akuma, with him making fun of the situation and the akuma getting more and more angry with him.

"Give me your miraculous, Chat Noir! You don't deserve it, and neither does Ladybug! Neither of you deserve happiness!" The akuma screamed, kicking and punching at him. The black cat kept dodging and ducking her attacks with a cocky grin that made Ladybug cringe slightly. Did he really have to treat this like a game?

He'd been about to comment when a beam of grey sailed towards him, which he narrowly dodged. His lips pursed and he went for the attack, only to be pulled away from the fight by Ladybug’s yo-yo, narrowly missing being hit by another beam. 

“My Lady!” Chat Noir chirped happily, ignoring how she narrowed her eyes at him. "The akuma is called Heartbreaker, and her power is to make people… depressed?" Chat Noir told her as the akuma screamed and shot a beam at someone, causing them to break down and sob. "It's different for some people though, the others feel pain. Like a ton of it. As if it's the pain she's feeling?" He ended uneasily, and Ladybug’s lips curled downwards. “We might need back up.” He said finally.

Ladybug knew instantly that she wasn’t going to entrust Alya with the fox. Not after today. She wasn’t sure about Nino being the turtle yet… and Chloé… well... until they could figure something out, she wasn’t sure if she could give it to her yet. So who could she give a miraculous?

A lightbulb went off in her head, and she looked to her partner with a stern look on her face. “I need you distract Heartbreaker and not get hit by the beams. I’m going to the Guardian to get help.” She told her partner, whose eyes lit up. He probably thought it would be Rena or Carapace that she would get. With a nod, he jumped back down, and she flung her yo-yo, swinging to the Guardian.

 

\------

“Ah, Ladybug, are you alright? What happened yesterday? Are you in need of a hero? Rena Rouge, Carapace, Queen B?” Master Fu was facing away from the hero who rushed into his home. When he turned around, he was surprised to see the serious yet sad look on her face.

“Sorry Master Fu, no time to talk. Rena Rouge won’t be coming back. I can’t trust her to not betray me after today. Queen B is still compromised, and Carapace… I don’t know yet. No, I need a new miraculous. Something that will calm this akuma.” Ladybug told the older man quietly, and he let out a sigh. 

“Perhaps later you can explain to me what is going on. Let’s see…” Master Fu pulled out the Miracle Box and opened up one of the compartments. “Yes, this one should help.” He murmured and pulled out a miraculous, putting it in a little box. Ladybug looked at him in curiosity until he turned back to her and held out the box. 

“This is the Snake Miraculous. It will grant the holder the power of 'Charm'. Use it wisely Ladybug." Master Fu spoke calmly, looking Ladybug in the eyes. He wasn’t surprised to see the whirlwind of emotions in her eyes. Not after yesterday and what she told him. 

“I will. I’ll bring it back to you, and I’ll explain everything later.” Ladybug spoke softly, inducing a nod from the old man. With that, she ran out and back to the school, leaving Wang Fu to his tea, his heart heavy. What had happened to make her so unhappy that she had been akumatized? That she couldn’t trust the ones she made heroes?

He could only hope that when she came back he would get the answers he sought.

\------

When she got back to the school, she caught sight of Chat Noir barely dodging another beam. Her eyes hardened and she looked around for the one she was looking for. She’d last remembered him running off with her friends, but she needed to find him. But where would he...

“Ladybug?” Said hero turned when she heard a whisper-yell from her right, and she grinned upon seeing who it was. 

“Luka, just the person I wanted to see. I need your help.” The boy in question watched her in confusion as she pulled out the box and held it out for him. “There’s not much time to explain, but here is the Miraculous of the Snake, which grants the power of charming. Will you accept this responsibility and help me stop this akuma?” 

Luka sucked in a breath of surprise. He was being offered a miraculous by Ladybug- no- _Marinette_. He was being asked for his help with the akuma. He steeled himself up and looked her in the eyes, nodding.

“I accept this responsibility, Ladybug.” The relieved smile on her lips was worth it, and she put the box in his hand. He opened it up to reveal a bangle. He put it on quickly and almost flinched when it glowed and out came a little creature. “What are you?” He asked in awe, and the creature seemed to grin at him.

“I’m Sass, and I’m the kwami that resides in your miraculous and I give you your powers. To trigger your transformations, you must say ' _Sass, Fangs out_ ' or ' _Sass, Fangs in_ ' to become a hero, or civilian respectively. Your power is ' _Charm_ ', which can help calm people around you, or it can be used to make them do anything.” The kwami noted the frown on Luka’s face. He might like this holder. “Now, say the transformation quote.”

Luka steeled himself and nodded, calling out “Sass, Fangs out!” A flash of teal surrounded Luka as he transformed. Once he was done, he looked down at his costume, unable to help the '' escaping his lips. He felt… empowered now.

He quickly did an once-over, finding that his suit fitted him well. Looking into the window of an unoccupied classroom(which was a relief), he was taken aback by his appearance. A black hood on a teal suit with a black chest. Black diamonds adorned his suit, along with a tail and… hell yes, pockets! He could feel a weight on his hip which he glanced at, surprise filling him as he noted the harp. Was this his weapon?

"You look great. Now, how about we stop this akuma?" Luka was pulled out of his reverie by Ladybug’s amused but hurried words. He nodded and they set off.

\------

“Took you long enough! Who’s _he_?” Chat Noir landed beside them, a glint of wariness and jealousy in his eyes that Ladybug and Luka noticed. Luka stiffened and narrowed his eyes at the cat hero.

“Viperion.” The newly named hero bit out, keeping on guard around the cat. He clearly thought he was a threat, for all the wrong reasons too. “Don’t we have an akuma to deal with?” He continued and Ladybug nodded, jumping into the fight which left the two boys.

“Don’t stuff up.” Chat spoke before jumping after Ladybug, causing Viperion to roll his eyes. ‘ _What a dramatic cat._ ’ He thought, joining the fight. He wouldn’t let Ladybug down.

\------

“Damnit, I _knew_ I should’ve gone with him.” Alix hissed to herself as she crept along, her eyes searching around, hoping to find Luka. He had been separated from the group and had said he’d join them soon, after he found Marinette. But five minutes later, he hadn’t come back with Marinette. 

So of course Alix was worried for both of them, especially with the akuma still running rampant, and of course she went to go look for them. She knew she should have waited, but what if the akuma was hurting them? She couldn’t sit in that classroom, waiting without answers.

She heard a screech and she froze up, her eyes catching sight of the akuma, who evidently had seen her too. The akuma lunged at her, a bright light glowing fiercely in her hands and in her fear, Alix found she couldn’t move. She could only watch, heart pounding furiously, as the akuma neared with clear anger in her eyes. Alix flinched, and waited for the beam to hit her, trembling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have designs for the characters later! [Here](https://phoenixia01.tumblr.com/post/185995494209/hello-there-so-you-might-have-already-seen-chaton) they are!
> 
> Also, to those who might be wondering, 'How does Luka know?'  
> I thought of it from the first episode he appeared in. Luka knows what Marinette's song sounds like, right? What if he knew straight away that Ladybug and Marinette were the same as a result of Ladybug's song being the exact same as Marinette's.
> 
> That's my reasoning anyway. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you like the concept idea I have for the Snake Miraculous!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn’t even have to think about it, his feet were moving as soon as he saw the akuma go for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, yet again, to the lovely [@Nottesilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottesilhouette) for beta-reading for me!

The first thing Viperion noticed was Chat Noir being thrown away by Heartbreaker, now looking to the side.

The second thing he noticed was Alix standing where the akuma was facing, eyes wide and paralyzed.

The third thing he noticed was the akuma hurtling towards Alix, rage in her eyes.

He didn’t even have to think about it, his feet were moving as soon as he saw the akuma go for her. 

The akuma was fast, but Viperion was faster. He scooped Alix up into his arms and ran like hell, avoiding beams that she shot at them both. A soft hiss left his lips and he pulled Alix closer into his chest. "Hold onto me, Bubblegum girl," he murmured to her, jumping up a floor. He felt Alix grip him tightly and his lips quirked ever so slightly.

Viperion heard the tell-tale sound of Ladybug’s yo-yo flying through the air and the sound of the akuma screeching again as she was flung away from them. He let out a sigh of relief and ran into another empty classroom. He set Alix down gently on the table, and went to turn away when he felt Alix’s hand on his arm.

“Hey, uh… thanks.” Alix’s soft voice rung out, and he looked back at her, his eyes softening. He turned to face her fully and reached over to ruffle her hair gently, a small smile on his lips. 

“Stay safe, Bubblegum girl. Your friends would be upset if anything happened to you.” He told her gently. Alix looked up at him with wide eyes, her cheeks as pink as her hair. It was almost too much for Viperion as he withdrew his hand, still trembling from adrenaline and something else he didn't have time to think about. Instead, he winked at Alix and ran back to the fight before his body could betray him any further. Alix was left to mull over what just happened, her heart beating fast.

\------

Viperion had something to think about, too, but he pushed it away for later as he left the classroom, knowing that his cheeks were turning light pink too. He almost chanced a look back, but he knew he had a job to do. So, forcing himself to move onward he jumped back down to the courtyard and narrowly dodged a beam again.

“Is she safe?” Ladybug called out to the snake hero as she continued her fighting with the akuma, going on the defensive when Chat Noir went on the offensive. 

“Y-Yeah, she’s safe!” Viperion called back, ignoring how his voice cracked from his worry.

“Good, because we could _really_ use some help right about now!” Chat Noir’s voice cut in before Ladybug could say anything, barely dodging the akuma’s attack. Viperion nodded back determinedly, pulling out his harp. He could do this.

“ _Charm._ ” He whispered, plucking at the strings of his harp. Instantly, a light, melodious tune filled the air, and the akuma sharply turned to look at him, but he kept on playing despite his nerves. 

Heartbreaker felt herself calm down despite wanting to make all those who opposed her suffer, and she dutifully made her way to the snake hero. As she made her way over, she could hear muffled screaming in her head and the dull pain that came with it, but she brushed it off, focusing only on the delightful tune.

“ _Give me your akumatized item._ ” Viperion’s melodious voice rang out as he continued plucking at the strings of the harp, even as she got closer and closer. He was afraid that it would not work, and that he’d fail Marinette _and_ Alix. 

He didn’t need to worry, as the akuma pulled out her hair pin and held it out for him to take. He paused the music to take the item, and as he did, he gave Heartbreaker as sad smile. “ _Rest now, Heartbreaker._ ” 

The akuma did as she was told in a daze, collapsing to her knees. Relief filled Viperion as she did so, and he tossed the hairpin over to Ladybug. She gave him a grin and broke the item, letting the butterfly flutter out. Pride rushed through him as he watched her purify the butterfly and the world around them. He helped his friend save the day… and saved Alix.

 _Alix._ His pride washed away, leaving a feeling of anxiousness behind. He wanted to make sure she was okay, even though he’d saved her. She must be as worried as he was.

Luckily for Viperion, Ladybug noticed his anxiety and finished her goodbyes with Chat Noir and the victim before leading him back to where he had originally transformed. Both were thankful that there wasn’t anyone else around to see them as he transformed back into Luka.

“I know you want to make sure she’s okay. You did well, Luka. Thank you.” Ladybug told the boy warmly as he took off the bangle and put it back it in the box. He handed it back to the hero and gave her an anxious look. She nodded with a small smile on her lips, and he took off.

\------

Alix let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding as the fight ended, leaving the heroes with the akuma victim. She watched them make sure the victim was okay before Ladybug and the new hero ran off.

Speaking of that guy… who _was_ he? Something about him seemed familiar, but Alix couldn’t place how he felt so familiar, no matter how much she tried.

She shook her head of her thoughts. Right, she needed to find Luka and Marinette. The group were worried, and she had been too. With that in mind, she went to the door, only to jump back as the door slammed open, revealing a disheveled Luka. He was panting heavily, his eyes trained on Alix. 

The two stood in silence except for Luka's panting. "Luka?" Alix questioned softly after a few moments, hesitantly stepping toward her friend. He left out a weak laugh before shakily running a hand through his hair, giving her an equally shaky smile.

“You’re okay. I should’ve known after I saw that new hero save you, but still.” Luka let out another laugh. Of course she was okay, why wouldn’t she be?

 

“I’m fine. _You_ look like you ran a marathon though. You okay?” Alix’s brows were furrowed in concern, and Luka shook his head hurriedly, finally able to catch his breath.

“No- yes-, I’m fine. I just ran from the classroom I was pulled into.” Luka lied, Well, he did run from the classroom, but he had just fought an akuma too… “I was worried, Pinkie. Why did you go out there?” He asked her gently, eliciting an eye roll from her.

“I went to look for you and Mars. You both went missing and the others and I were worried.” It warmed Luka to know that they were worried, but seriously? Leaving safety to look for them? “Besides, you did it first.” Alix pointed out. She was right, he had.

“I’d be a hypocrite if I said it was a foolish move, considering I did it too,” Alix gave him a half triumphant look as a result, “but I’m just glad you’re okay.” Luka sighed, reaching over and ruffling her hair affectionately. He could feel his cheeks warming up, but he elected to ignore it. “Now, let’s get back to the others. I’m sure they’re worried about us.”

Alix swatted at his hands with a light laugh before letting out a sound of agreement. Knowing the others(and her brother), they would probably be _very_ worried for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the chapter isn't as long as it usually is! I thought this was a good place to end it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunion and planning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to [@Nottesilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottesilhouette) for reading over this yet again!

They were right when they assumed that the others would be worried. The moment Alix and Luka made it to the courtyard, the pair were bombarded by their friends. The both of them had been pulled into a hug, with Claude scolding his sister for running out to look for Luka, and the others scolding Luka for vanishing like he had.

 

When Marinette came back mere seconds later, she was pulled into that hug herself, with people proclaiming that they had been so worried for her. The only ones who didn’t appear so worried for Marinette had been Luka, Félix and Chloé, but the rest hadn’t noticed.

 

“I’m fine, guys! I just got separated from you all. I was hidden, don’t worry!” Marinette tried to soothe her friends who were still rambling to her.

 

“We were so worried! What if you’d been hurt?” Claude was the one to scold Marinette, side eyeing Alix, who had graciously ignored her twin’s words. Marinette ignored it too. Her friend had been spooked enough as it was, she didn’t need to be reminded of the akuma attack.

 

“I was _fine_ , seriously. I came back to you all in one piece, right?” There were mumbled agreements, and Marinette smiled brightly at them. She’d been about to say more when the bell rang for class. 

 

“Come on, let’s get to class.” There were some grumbles but everyone not in Marinette’s class dispersed, with Luka looking back at Alix in worry and… something else that Marinette couldn't quite place yet. _‘Interesting.’_

 

As the group walked, Marinette gently put a hand on her pink-haired friend’s shoulder, pulling her out of her reverie. “You okay? If you’re not up for class after what happened, you can go home.” Marinette whispered to her, knowing that Félix and Chloé could hear her. They would understand too.

 

Alix looked surprised at the question, but gave her friend a light smile and a thumbs up to assure her she was fine. “I’m good, Mars. Don’t worry. I might get grounded by dad when I get home, but I’m good, I swear.” She told the ravenette teasingly, eliciting a soft giggle from her.

 

"If you're sure, Alix." Marinette offered warmly, and Alix couldn't help her smile growing. It was nice, knowing her friend cared so much, but Alix was okay. Sure, she’d been frightened at the time, but she had been saved by that new hero before she’d even been hurt. Alix couldn’t quite suppress the grin that flitted across her face thinking about him, and she turned away to hide it.

 

“I’m sure.” Marinette gave her another smile, and they entered the classroom, ignoring any stares that were cast their way. Alix had turned away quickly, but Marinette was watching her friend, assessing her for any injuries… and she’d seen that lovesick grin. 

 

\------

 

“You got plans tomorrow?” Alix asked Marinette as she packed up for the end of the day. Marinette paused in her packing to look over at the pinkette in mild surprise. 

 

“Ah, no, I don’t think so, why?” Marinette questioned her, which got a wide grin out of Alix.

 

“ _Welllll_ … I was gonna say, if I’m not grounded because of what happened earlier, I was gonna ask if you and the others wanted to see a movie." Alix replied, looking to Chloé and Félix. "What about you guys? Chloé, Félix? Sabrina?" The three mentioned looked up, with Sabrina squeaking in surprise. 

 

Félix hummed lightly in thought. He didn’t have anything going on as far as he knew, unless his Mother suddenly came home from his overseas work, or if his Maman needed him and his older brother to babysit his little sister. “I don’t believe I have plans, so I should be able to go.”

 

“I can make it.” Chloé responded to Alix’s question, and they all looked to Sabrina, who flailed in surprise. She was being asked to join them to watch a film, could you blame her? No one ever invited her anywhere!

 

“I, ah… I can make it too!” Sabrina let out with a squeak, making the girls smile.

“Sweet! I’ll ask Luka if he can come too. We should all meet at Marinette’s house tomorrow.” Alix suggested cheekily, causing the ravenette to scoff teasingly.

 

“You just wanna get the sweets, don’t you?” Marinette accused, and the smirk that Alix gave her told her the answer to that. “ _Alright_ , I’ll make sure to get some cookies done before you guys get to the bakery, how about that?” Marinette rolled her eyes in a teasing fashion as she continued her packing up, eliciting a cheer from Alix and chuckles from the others.

 

“Then it’s settled! We’ll meet at Marinette’s house, at, uh… eleven a.m. good for you guys?” When the others nodded their confirmations, Alix grinned again. “Hell yeah! Eleven it is! I’ll get Luka’s confirmation and I’ll text you guys later!” She told them, and they all moved to leave the classroom, their moods high.

 

\------

 

Marinette waved her friends off as they went off, either to home or to speak to others, leaving her and Félix. A soft hum left her, and she looked to Félix with a smile. “Are you waiting for your Maman, Félix?” She asked him, and he hummed lightly back. 

 

“Yes, she should be here in a few minutes. Either that, or Louis will pick me up.” Félix answered as they made their way to the steps to wait for his mother, both of them pointedly ignoring when Lila and Alya spoke in whispers as they walked past. If Alya refused to see the truth, why should _Marinette_ continue to bother with trying?

 

“That’s good! Say hello to them all for me!" Marinette told the blond, watching him as he smiled slightly at her.

 

“Of course I will. You know they love hearing from you. Matilda especially!" He told her gently, reaching over and gently patting her shoulder. Marinette could feel her cheeks start burning, and she let out a startled giggle.

 

“Stop it, you.” Marinette gently pushed Félix’s shoulder, arousing another small smile from him as he pulled his hand away. “I’ll be sure to make you something too, since I know you don’t like sweet things.” 

 

Marinette wouldn’t forget the way Félix’s eyes lit up even if she tried. Marinette knew then that her entire being must be red so she turned away, letting out yet another giggle.

 

“Thank you, Marinette.” He looked like he was about to say more when they both heard a horn, and they both turned to see that Félix’s maman had arrived.

 

"That's me. I'll see you tomorrow, Marinette." Félix told her softly, waving goodbye as he walked to the car. As he got in, he saw Marinette waving back, and he chuckled. 

 

Marinette watched her friend go, a small smile on her lips, which slowly turned into a frown. 

 

She had some unfinished business to take care of.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has a long needed talk with The Guardian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [@Nottesilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottesilhouette) is seriously an angel for reading this over! Bless you, dear!

“Welcome back, Marinette.” Master Fu spoke as the girl entered the room. He had already put the kettle on, having anticipated her arrival since she had said she’d be back after school. The girl in question smiled tightly at him, seating herself when he indicated for her to sit. “Tell me what happened, Marinette.” Fu beckoned her as he prepared the tea.

“It’s a long story, Master Fu.” Marinette explained softly, and the older man paused for a second before continuing.

“We have time.” He told her calmly, which made Marinette sigh and cast her eyes down to the table.

“It may seem petty, but… a girl joined my school recently, well, she came back after a few months. Well, uh…” she tried to regain her composure and try to word it better. “She came back, and she’s told everyone these tales of grandeur, saying she’s done so much. But she’s lying, and I tried telling everyone that. Most of my friends ignored me, claiming I was jealous. It hurt. Especially since two of those people were Carapace and Rena Rouge.” Marinette heard Wayzz gasp and she grimaced.

“She claimed she’s done all these things and when I didn’t bend to her lies, she _threatened_ me and almost got me akumatized two times, and akumatized on the third. I had to reveal myself to a friend, Master Fu, in order to keep the Ladybug Miraculous safe.” This made Master Fu turn to face her, his eyes critical.

“Go on.” He spoke, his voice staying calm despite the turmoil in his mind. At least the Miraculous hadn’t been corrupted, but to know she had been akumatized, it saddened the old man.

“Félix, a friend of mine. He knows about me being Ladybug. He was Spots yesterday, when I was Verity.” Marinette explained, and Fu nodded, finally pulling the tea over to them. 

“I sense there's more to this story.” Fu beckoned her to talk as he sat down, pouring himself some tea.

“I revealed the truth about the girl. I thought my friends would understand me and realize I’m telling the truth. Carapace… Nino apologized to me about it, and I know some that didn’t believe me did… but Rena… she can’t be trusted anymore. She still believes the girl who harassed me and t-threatened me.” Marinette’s voice cracked, bowing her head. She only lifted it again when a cup of tea was placed in front of her. She murmured a _'Thank you'_ and took a sip. 

“And Queen B?” 

“Queen B… she confronted me today. She says she’s know I was Ladybug since the first time the other girl threatened me. She also knows, but she is making an effort to be better. Both Félix and her know, Master Fu. I’m sorry.” Marinette grimaced, and Fu took a sip of his tea.

The silence was awkward as Fu sipped his tea, and Marinette felt herself shrink. Was he planning on taking her miraculous away from her?

Eventually, he put his cup down, and he asked her one final thing.

 

“What about Chat Noir?” Fu noticed Marinette’s less than pleased look and he knew then that she wasn’t happy with her partner currently.

“He… he went off at me last night. For not being there for my akumatization. He insinuated I didn’t take my duty seriously,” Marinette started lowly and Fu’s heart began to sink, “he insinuated I didn’t take my duty seriously... and then demanded to know why someone _else_ got to know my identity and not _him_. I had to tell him I was nearly akumatized and I couldn’t risk the miraculous getting into Hawkmoth’s hands. The worst part is that he thinks this is a game.” 

“What do you mean by that, Marinette?” Fu asked her gently, and she looked up to see that Fu had a sad look on his face. She wasn’t sure if it was aimed at her or not at this point.

“He keeps sacrificing himself for me. We’re supposed to be a _team_ , but it feels like I’m doing everything. What happens if I fail, Master Fu? Both of us are down for the count and it’s just not fair that I have all the world up on my shoulders. It’s supposed to be a shared responsibility but I just feel like... it’s my responsibility only and he's only there for the fun of it.” He could tell there was more, and he beckoned her on again.

“He also keeps pressuring me to accept his feelings and it makes me feel like he doesn’t accept my own on the situation. Do you remember the akuma Glaciator?” Marinette asked, and Fu nodded, letting Marinette continue. “He asked me on a date and I told him I was spending time with friends that day. He ignored what I said and set up a date anyway. Then when the akuma came around, he acted out, saying it wasn’t nice to play with his feelings. He knows I’m not interested in him, I’ve told him multiple times. Why can’t he consider _my_ feelings too?”

Fu was silent for a few moments, looking over to Wayzz with a frown on his lips. It seemed that Chat Noir was fast becoming an unsuitable partner. Or perhaps he had already been from the start, and it was now that his problematic behaviours were becoming clear… along with his stubborn refusal to acknowledge them. This, Fu considered, was the much bigger flaw in his character. The older man and his kwami knew they would need to speak with the cat hero soon, perhaps talk to Plagg.

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Marinette. I noticed you looked a little worried a few moments ago, when you told me that two people knew your identity. Were you worried I was going to ask you to give me the Ladybug Miraculous back?” He asked her gently, and Marinette looked ashamed as she nodded. The old man smiled sadly and he shook his head.

“I’m disappointed that it was found out, but I know that you couldn’t help it in these circumstances. I’m not going to ask you to give back the miraculous, since you’ve tried hard to keep hidden. You’re taking your responsibility seriously, and I thank you. If you trust these people, Marinette, then I shall trust that they won’t tell.” 

Marinette looked relieved as he spoke. She was going to keep Tikki and keep being Ladybug! “But… It is troubling to hear about Rena Rouge, Carapace and Chat Noir. Is there anything else you can tell me about this situation with the girl? If you don’t mind me asking.” Fu asked of Marinette.

“There were a few people who knew from the start. Four of them, if you don’t count Chloé. Only three of them were by my side during all of this. The one who wasn’t with me, Adrien, he knew. He’s known since even before she came back, and he told me to let it lie, as exposing her would only get her akumatized again. She’s been akumatized three times as it is, Master Fu. He told her that her lies didn’t hurt anyone.” Marinette looked Fu in the eyes, and he was saddened to see they were filled with unshed tears..

“He was wrong. They hurt _me._ ”

Fu watched as Tikki flew out of Marinette’s purse and began to nuzzle her, his stomach sinking. Marinette had been hurt by her friend’s inaction, and her partner’s immaturity, never knowing that they were one and the same. 

He would need to talk to him, to make him see reason. Ladybug couldn’t continue like this, filled with worry for when her partner might snap at her again for not accepting his feelings.

“I see. Thank you, Marinette, for bringing this to my attention and explaining everything. If you ever need to discuss more, do not be afraid to come again. I will always have tea prepared.” Master Fu spoke, and Marinette bowed her head in acceptance, murmuring another _‘Thank you’_ as she stood and left, leaving the old man and his kwami to their thoughts.

_How could everything have gone this way?_

\------

Marinette sighed as she left, rubbing her temples. It had been good to vent to the older man about her troubles, as he had been the one to give her her miraculous, after all. He needed to know, too.

It lifted a sort of weight off her shoulders, knowing that she had someone outside of school she could talk to about all this without judgement. She was a teenager who was dealing with school, hero duties, and now a few friendship breaks.

She was shaken out of her reverie as she bumped into someone, causing her to yelp and immediately say, “I’m so sorry for bumping into you!” 

“No, I’m sorry, I was-” The person cut themselves off and Marinette finally looked up to see it was Kagami, who looked bitter. “Oh, it’s you. Are you _really_ sorry though?”

Marinette’s brows furrowed in confusion as Kagami asked that, and she gave an evenly confused, “Yes?” as a response. Kagami’s lips curled into a forced smile, one that set Marinette on edge then.

“So how is Adrien, then?” A grimace appeared on Marinette’s face, which Kagami noticed. It was confusing to her.

“I wouldn’t really know, considering I’m not talking to him. Wouldn’t you know, though? You fence with him, don’t you?” Marinette asked the Japanese girl, her tone just a bit snippish.

“I haven’t seen him in a few days, actually. He seems rather off these days. Is that your doing?” Kagami countered, and Marinette looked a tad offended.

“If he’s feeling off, it’s probably because he promised to be there for me and then lied to me!” Marinette felt her voice raising and struggled to contain it. 

“What do you mean, lied to you? _You’re_ the one stringing him along! Date him properly or let him go!” Marinette reeled back in her shock, eyes wide and gaping at Kagami. It took her a few moments to actually formulate a response.

“Kagami… Adrien and I were never dating. I thought he liked you.” Marinette spoke softly, and Kagami’s angered look melted into one of confusion.

“What? You’re… you’re not dating him? I thought…” Kagami trailed off, looking rather awkward. “He kept looking at you during our ice skating date, I thought he asked you out after…” Kagami admitted, and Marinette shook her head.

“No, no! I was there to be support for him. He asked you out and he asked me to support him, that’s why I brought Luka with me. I thought you two began dating after that.” Kagami was the one to fall silent then. Her mind was racing. Marinette thought Adrien liked Kagami. Kagami thought Adrien liked Marinette. 

“I… I think I misjudged you Marinette. I thought that you were leading Adrien on. I’m sorry I thought those mean things about you. Could we…. Could we possibly start over?” Kagami asked of Marinette, whose cheeks turned bright red as she nodded.

“I misjudged you too, Kagami, and I’m sorry for that. I…. I’d like to start over too.” Marinette held out a hand, and Kagami, eyeing if for a few seconds, held out her own hand and shook it.

“Now… what’s this about Adrien lying to you?” Kagami asked, her eyes narrowing. _Oh, right_ , Marinette had said that, hadn’t she.

“It’s… it’s a bit of a long story. Would you like to come back to my place? I can explain everything over sweets and tea.” Marinette offered kindly, and Kagami’s own cheeks turned pink as she nodded.

“I’d like that.” She spoke shyly, and Marinette smiled brightly at her, leading the way to the bakery and tugging Kagami along.

“Great! Would you also like to join my friends and I for the movies tomorrow? I’m making cookies before we go and everything!”

“Are you sure?” 

“They’d love to have you join us, Kagami. I promise! Maman and Papa will love you too, they love every one of my friends, and now, _you’re_ my friend! Uh… only if you want to be, I mean.” Kagami was quick to nod.

“Of course I’d like to be your friend. I’d love to join you all tomorrow, too.” Marinette’s smile only grew, and Kagami couldn’t help her own smile as they walked.

_‘Friends, huh? I have the feeling that I won’t regret this decision.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA I BET YOU DIDN'T EXPECT AN UPDATE SO SOON? AND ONE SO LONG! I BAMBOOZLED YOU ALL!  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! I had fun writing it!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaos. Utter chaos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hello, welcome back. Sorry for the long delay, sheesh, nearly 3 months?  
> I'm not gonna sugar coat it, I've been in a state for months, struggling in writing for this fanfic. But i'm back now, back to post another chapter. Thanks to [@Nottesilhouette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottesilhouette) for reading over my work!

The next morning Marinette woke up early (well, nine-thirty a.m. was fairly early) to start making the sweets after she’d discussed it the night before with her parents, only to find that Alix was already there, chatting happily with Sabine at the kitchen counter. The moment Alix spotted her friend at the top of the stairs, she gave a grin and a wave.

“Hey Alix, I thought we agreed on eleven?” Marinette asked slowly, and Alix’s grin only grew bigger, saying a quick goodbye to Sabine as the woman went back down to help Tom with the bakery.

“Yeah, _but_ I actually wanted to talk to you about something.” When Marinette raised an eyebrow, Alix held up her phone, revealing a photo of Viperion. “You know the new hero, Viperion? I was actually wanting to commission you to make a hoodie based on his costume.” 

Marinette eyed the photo for several seconds, her lips quirking for a few moments before she let out a full-blown giggle. “Okay, okay. I’ll do it, but I’m not expecting payment from you.” She told the pinkette, who raised an eyebrow.

“Really? That’s a shame, considering I have the fabric for it.” Marinette gaped at the other girl for a few seconds before letting out a choked noise.

“Alix! No! I can’t _accept_ that!” Marinette tried to tell her friend, who gave her a deadpan look in response.

“If you don’t accept this my gift, I’ll do the unthinkable.” The horror on Marinette’s face was apparent, and when Marinette tried to stutter out a refusal, a lone tear escaped Alix's eye, eliciting a yelp from Marinette.

"Okay, okay! I'll accept it!" Marinette cried out, and Alix's mood changed instantly, her lips curling into a great, big smile.

"I knew you'd see it my way, Mars." She spoke in a mock snarky tone, making Marinette giggle finally.

"Okay, I'll accept the fabric, but I'll be getting you back for that, Alix." Marinette half scolded, but Alix only gave her the same grin she had before as she texted Jalil to come up with the fabrics.

Only, Jalil didn't show up with them.

_Luka_ did, and with a half smile on his face as he gently put the fabrics down beside them. Alix and Marinette raised an eyebrow at him, and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Claude texted me as you guys left your house so I thought I'd come over early. Found Jalil with the fabrics and here I am!” He told them both with a lazy movement of his hands, resembling jazz hands. Alix couldn't hide the snort of amusement from his antics even if she tried. 

Marinette, on the other hand, was hiding her smile behind her hand as she glanced between the two, noting that Luka's cheeks turned a light pink when he looked Alix's way. It was cute.

"Well, at least you're here now. I was actually about to get breakfast and then get started on the cookies. Do either of you want cereal?" Marinette offered, and at that moment, both gave her a sheepish look. "Don't tell me the both of you didn't eat before you left." Marinette sighed in exasperation, eliciting chuckles from her friends.

"I was excited to meet up, could you blame me?" Alix told the ravenette, who only shook her head as she went to grab everything they needed for breakfast.

"Speaking of that, are you both really okay with Kagami coming? I know it was a surprise for Chloé last night, but I want to make sure you guys are okay with it." Marinette was a bundle of nerves as she asked her friends.

Alix and Luka looked to each other in the corner of their eyes, as if looking for the other's reaction, which made Marinette worried. 

It was Luka who looked away first and spoke up, "Marinette, you're our friend. If you're saying you and Kagami figured out your differences and want her to join us, then we don't mind. Really." The boy told his friend, his lips curling into a smile, with Alix nodding in agreement. 

Marinette let out a sigh of relief and gave the pair a sheepish smile. She was lucky to have these two.

"Now, let's eat so we can make cookies!" Alix crowed, eliciting laughter from the other two, and they began breakfast.

\------

"...that's a _lot_ of cookies." Félix spoke slowly as he entered the kitchen at around ten-forty. He then glanced at the group in front of him, almost amused to see that they were a bit… well, messy was sort of an understatement. 

Their clothes were covered in flour, and their faces were covered in cookie dough. It was quite the scene. Like a cookie murder scene, really.

They all gave Félix a sheepish yet satisfied smile in response, making the blond sigh. It truly never was a dull day with his friends, it seemed. “How did it happen, then?” He asked them, a hand on his hip as he beckoned them to talk.

“Luka started it,” Alix had started, eliciting a snort from the boy in question which she ignored, “he dumped the flour on me when I tried to give Marinette a hand in making the last batch of cookie dough. So I shoved the cookie dough into his face, and he tried to dump more flour onto me but it hit Marinette, and, well…” she indicated the mess around them. 

“I see… so what you’re saying is is that I’m lucky I didn’t arrive earlier then.” Félix snorted softly, only to be hit in the face with a glob of cookie dough. He wiped it off and instantly turned to Alix with his eyes narrowed. The girl in question shook her head and indicated Marinette, who had tried to hide her giggles.

“You’re on, Dupain-Cheng.” Félix murmured, moving quickly to grab some flour and chucking it at Marinette, who let out a squeal of laughter. The fight was back on.

It only stopped when Kagami came up into the kitchen around five minutes later, with Chloé and Sabrina in tow, all three of them looking bemused at the scene in front of them, and the fact that Félix Culpa was actually chuckling along with their laughter.

“Does this mean we’re not going to the movies?” Sabrina piped up softly, which had alerted the group, causing them to stop their activities. They all looked at themselves and each other before snorting and looking back at the three.

“Well… I think we’re a bit too messy for that right now. But I do have a better idea, just wait a few minutes, okay?” Marinette chirped, clapping her hands together before running off to her room to put away the photos of Adrien… 

Speaking of, she needed to get rid of those for good, but… she didn’t have the heart to do it. She gave the photos a sad look before shoving them away into a drawer and running down back to the kitchen.

And that was how they found themselves in Marinette’s room, cleaned up, watching movies and laughing at the snarky jokes they all said during the films.

Marinette didn’t want the day to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think about this chapter, and I'll try and write another soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! So I have a format on how the seating arrangement is, which can be found [here!](https://phoenixia01.tumblr.com/post/185356295314/this-is-a-seating-arrangement-ive-done-for-a)


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